Junction-box outlet



Oct. 28, 1930. c WALLACE 1,779,924

' JUNCTION Box OUTLET Original Filed Nov. 17, 1927 IN EN TOR A ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE' CHARLES H. WALLACE, OF NEW YORK, IL Y.

'JuNc'rIoN-Box OUTLET Application filed'November 17, 1827, Serial No. 283,921. Renewed Inch 20, 1980.

' This invention relates to electricjunctionbox outlets, and more particularly to a unitary receptacle adapted for combination with a junction-boxer the like to provide a plurality of outlets or connections for the circuit wires therein.

p In industrial and other establishments 7 where a number of outlets are required in relatively close proximity to each other, as when Work tables equipped with electrically operated machines are arranged in more or less closely grouped order, it has been customary, in order to comply with fire hazard requirements, to run the wires through a pipe or conduit supported on the floor, wall or other part of the building. To supply the current to the motors or other devices for the individual work tables it has been necessary to provide individual sets of connecting wires leading from the junction-box through which the main circuit Wires pass, these individual sets of connecting wires terminating in individual plugs or receptacles. These individual plugs or receptacles are then connected with the individual work table connecting Wires.

Such arrangement involves splicing and 4 soldering of the junction box connecting wires to the main circuit wires within the junction box and requires an individual out- 3 let plug or receptacle for each set of work table connecting wires, thus necessitating a considerable expenditure of time, labor and material in making the installation.

It isan object of the present invention to enable the junction-box to be equipped with a unitary outlet receptacle connected directly to the main circuit wires, so that individual taps or connecting wires need not be spliced to the main circuit wires, the unitary outlet receptacle providing the desired number of individual outlets for direct connection with the work table connecting wires, and the in-' dividual plug receptacle outlets thus being eliminate A further object is to enable the junctionbox outlet to be constructed as a single compact and eificient unit, of approved standard y A still further object is to simplify and improve the construction of the unitary outlet receptacle and to provide a multiple outlet receptacle capable of general application, which will be cheap in cost of manufacture and convenient and durable in use.

Still further objects will hereinafter appear, and to all these ends I have devised the junction-box outlet a practical'embodiment of which is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which I Figure 1 is a perspective View, partly broken away, showing the junction-box outlet in use with direct connections to individual Work tables'arranged in group formation;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 3, showing the junction-box receptacle equipment, with one half of the receptacle body removed; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the j unction-box and receptacle substantially along the line 33 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the main circuit wires 9 and 10 extend through a pipe or conduit 11 having communication with a junctionbox or enclosure 12, this junction-box being mounted upon a suitable standard 13. In this instance the junction box cover plate 14 is secured to an inwardly projecting flange or rim 15 of the junction-box, as by a plurality of bolts or screws 16. The receptacle 17 in this instance is secured to the cover plate 14, as by a plurality of screws or bolts 18, the cover plate 14 preferably having an opening 19 so that the smaller diameter lower or terminal portion 20 of the receptacle 17 may extend into the junction box. 12 inproximity to the main circuit wires.

The receptacle 17 may be cast or molded, either in one piece or in halves or sections, and the receptacle body may be constructed of hard rubber, bakelite, porcelain or any other suitable insulating material. In this instance 'the receptacle includes separable body porthreaded in bushings 24 provided in the opposite body portion 21. The body ortions 21 and 22 preferably rest on a suite ldbase plate 25, also of insulating material, andin this instance the base plate 25 is integral with the body portion 21 and supports the body portion 22.

The receptacle 17 in this instance includes a pair of conductor plates 26 and 27 arranged in horizontal superimposed relation, centrally and longitudinally of the receptacle body. The conductor plates 26 and 27 are preferably in the form of elongated bars or arms and in this instance are located in a pair of complementary grooves 28 between the body memhere 21 and 22. Each of the conductor plates 26 and 27 is provided on one surface with a plurality of suitable blade engaging contact members 29 located in recesses 30 formed in the body member 21. The opposite surfaces of the conductor plates have a plurality of corresponding contact members 29 located in recesses 31 formed inthe opposite body member 22. The conductor plates may be of any desired length, with any desired number of blade engaging contacts, the arrangement in the present instance providing for four outlets, two at each side of the receptacle, affording connection with the blade engaging contacts 33 and 34 of the plugs 35 through suitable openings 36 communicating with the recesses 30 and 31. The blade engaging contacts 29 are thus arranged in pairs, back to back on the pair of unitary conductor plates 26 and 27, and these blade engaging contacts 29 may be of any suitable character but are here shown as of duplex type including spring clips or fingers arranged to accommodate difierently arranged knife blade contacts through the correspondingly arranged openings 36.

To supply current to the conductor plates, the horizontal superimposed conductor lates 26 and 27 in this instance are provide with connections 37 and 38, respectively, to the main circuit wires 9 and 10. These connections'37 and 38 are preferably in the form of bus bars or connectm plates,-located in o osite parts or mem ers of the receptac e dy and secured to the conductor plates 26 and 27 by being soldered thereto or by means of screw fastenings as seen at 39, or otherwise. The bus bars 37 and 38 extend downwardly, preferably at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the receptacle body,

the lower ends 40 and 41 of the bus bars 37 and 38, respectively, being preferably secured at opposite sides of the terminal portion 20,

as by the screws 42. Suitable binding terminals or screws 43 are provided on these outer ends 40 and 41.

The receptacle body is preferably positioned so that the terminal portion 20 is in the plane of the main circuit wires 9 and 10, with therterminals 40 and 41 in parallel alignment at opposite sides of the main circuit wires. The main circuit wires 9 and 10 are directly connected to the respective binding screws 43 by looping or winding the circuit wires thereabout one or more times as indicated at 44. To connect the main circuit wires it is thus only necessary to strip the insulation or cable 45 from the wires at one point in proximity to the binding terminals, and no splicing, soldering or taping of the connections is required.

The plugs 35 of the work table connecting wires 46 are directly connected to the receptacle 17 as shown in Figure 1, providing a greatly simplified arrangement, the unitary receptacle being safe and compact, and the entire construction improved by elimination of the multiplicity of individual plug connections heretofore required to be spliced to the main circuit wires. The present construction includes but few parts, quickly and easily installed. The connections to the blade engaging contacts are permanently insulated and the entire construction is in conformity with approved fire hazard requirements. The receptacle proper is capable of application to other uses and it is to be understood that while the present showing and description includes one specific modification, other forms and modifications are included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A junction box outlet comprising, in combination, a junction box having current supply wires, said junction box having an opening to afford access to the current supply wires, and an outlet receptacle for said junction box, said receptacle including a body havinga portion to extend into said junction box, a pair of conductor plates within said receptacle, a plurality of blade contacts on each of said conductor plates, saidreceptacle body having openings to afford access to said blade contacts from the exterior of said body, and connector devices between said conductor plates andsaid supply wires to supply current from said supply wires to said blade contacts.

2. A junction box outlet comprising, in combination, a junction box having current supply wires, said junction box having an opening to afford access to the current supply wires, said junction box having a cover for said opening, a receptacle body to be secured to said cover, said receptacle body having a base and a portion to extend through said cover and into said junction box in proximity to said wires, said receptacle body including complementary body portions, a pair of conductor plates horizontally disposed with in said rece tacle body and extending longitudinally t ereof, a plurality of blade contacts arranged back to back on said conductor lates, said extending portion having binding devices to receive said current suppl wires, and connector devices between said conductor plates and said binding devices, said connector devices extending downwardly from said receptacle body to said portion at opposite sides of the latter.

3. A junction box outlet comprising, in combination, a junction box having current supply wires, a support for said junction box, a cover plate at the top of said junction box, said cover plate having an openingtherein, a receptacle body for attachment to said cover plate, said receptacle body having a portion to extend through said cover plate opening and downwardly in proximity to said supply wires, said receptacle body including complementary body portions, one of said. body portions removable from the other, a pair of conductor plates horizontally mounted in said receptacle body and extending longitudinally thereof, contact blades arranged back to back on each of said conductor plates, said receptacle body having openings to afford access to said contact blades from the exterior of .the. body, binding posts on said extending portion, and connector plates" extending downwardly from each of said conductor plates to said binding posts at opposite sides of said portion.

4. A junction box outlet comprising, in combination, a junction box having a support, a cover plate, said ,cover plate having an opening thereon, a receptacle body mounton said cover plate, said receptacle body having a portion to extend downwardly through said cover plate opening and in proximity to said supply wires, said receptacle body including a base portion and complementary body portions, one of the latter integral with said base portion'and the other removable therefrom, a pair of conductor plates horizontally disposed. within said receptacle body, a plurality of contact blades on each of said conductor-plates directed toward the sides of said receptacle body, said body including openings to afford access to said blade contacts from the exterior of the body, binding devices on saidextending portion, and connector members to connect each of said conductor plates with one of said binding devices.

5. A junction box outlet comprising, in combination, a junction box, current supply wires in said junction box, said junction box having an openin at the top, a receptacle to be secured to sai junction box, said receptacle includin a portion to extend downwardly throug said opening and in proxim- 66 ity to said wlres, and complementary body rtions, one of said body portions removable dinally thereof, one above another, contact blades arranged back to back on each of said conductor plates and directed toward the sides of said receptacle body, said receptacle body having openings to afford access to said contact plates from the exterior of the body, binding posts at opposite sides of said extending portion, and connector plates extending downwardly from said conductor blades to said respective binding posts.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

CHARLES H. WALLACE.

om the other, conductor plates mounted horizontally within said receptacle body, one

above the other, contact blades arranged back v .60 to back on each of said conductor plates, said receptacle body having openings to afford access to said contact blades from the exterior of said body, oppositely disposed binding posts on said extending portion for connection with said current supply wires, and con- 

